We finally have an injury update, albeit vague, on Jacoby Ellsbury. Ryan Hatch reports that Girardi was quoted in regards to Ellsbury, “I would hope we would have him within a month. That would be my hope. I can’t tell you that we will.”
Ellsbury went down with a right knee sprain on May 19 in Washington. He suffered it swinging on a pitch from Gio Gonzalez. He stayed in the game but left after the inning was over and was placed on the 15-day DL after the game. Ellsbury has an injury history, as we know, and he sometimes stays on the DL longer than first thought. He missed significant time in 2010 and 2012 when he was with the Red Sox.
Slade Heathcott has played well in Ellsbury’s place. In 6 games he’s hitting .353 and hit his first career HR on Monday vs KC. With Ellsbury out, this is a chance for Heathcott to perform and either earn the 4th outfielder spot or attract enough teams to want to trade for him. Chris Young, who had been the 4th outfielder, has cooled down lately, so when Ellsbury returns the 4th outfielder spot should be up for grabs.
Hopefully this injury does not keep Ellsbury out too much longer because the offense is clearly better with him and Gardner at the top. When Ellsbury went down he was having a great season, leading the team in hits (48) and OBP (.412).
